Scheduling method for enhanced uplink channels

Abstract

A method for scheduling uplink data transmission by user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication network is provided. The method may comprise scheduling data transmission by the user equipment in response to physical layer signaling received from the user equipment.

1 . A method for scheduling uplink data transmission by a UE in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: 
 scheduling data transmission by the UE in response to physical layer signaling received from the UE.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical layer signaling is an indicator indicating that data is present in a transmission buffer at the UE.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the indicator is a rate request bit.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 receiving the indicator indicating that data is present in the transmission buffer; and wherein    the scheduling step schedules data transmission in response to the received indicator.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the indicator is received over a control portion of an enhanced dedicated channel.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the control portion is an enhanced dedicated physical control channel.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 sending a scheduling grant to the UE.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the scheduling grant is a relative grant sent over an enhanced relative grant channel.  
   
   
       9 . A method comprising: 
 sending, from a physical layer of the UE, an indicator indicating that data is present in a transmission buffer at the UE.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 receiving a scheduling grant.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the scheduling grant is a relative grant received over an enhanced relative grant channel.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indicator is sent over a control portion of a dedicated channel.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control portion is an enhanced dedicated physical control channel.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the indicator is rate request bit.  
   
   
       15 . A method, comprising: 
 configuring a physical layer of a UE to send an indicator indicating whether a transmission buffer of the UE includes data for transmission.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the configuring step further configures the UE for transmitting data over an enhanced data channel.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the configuring step changes criteria of an existing indicator to indicate whether a transmission buffer of the UE includes data for transmission.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the configuring step changes criteria for setting a rate request bit of an enhanced dedicated control channel such that the rate request bit is set if the transmission buffer of the UE includes data for transmission.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the configuring step further configures a transport format indicator to trigger transmission of data at the UE in response to a scheduling grant.  
   
   
       20 . A method, comprising: 
 configuring a base station to interpret a received indicator as indicating whether a transmission buffer of a UE includes data for transmission.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the configuring step further configures the base station for receiving data over an enhanced data channel.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the configuring step changes criteria for interpreting an existing indicator as indicating whether a transmission buffer of the UE includes data for transmission.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the configuring step changes criteria for interpreting a rate request bit of an enhanced dedicated control channel such that the rate request bit indicates that the transmission buffer of the UE includes data for transmission if the rate request bit is set.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the configuring step further configures a transport format indicator to trigger transmission of data at the UE in response to a scheduling grant.